


Vividtale Origins

by jasmynation



Series: Vividtale [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, And I go, Ceno, Ceno is the official name, Cinnabar - Freeform, Complete, Gen, I lowkey love that no one is going to understand one part of this, I made it a series on ao3 so yeah, Ill just call them bluecross versions, Mira - Freeform, Multiverse, Toner, Trip - Freeform, UnderMaze, alternate realties, another boi, anyway why isnt vividtale just a separate tag, back to miras story, because xtale them were so driven, boi has some problems, but it still wasnt them, but it won’t make sense for a while, by strong emotions, cause they arent xtale or swap or even swapxtale really, chara frisk and gaster seemed one sided, done, dont get attached to mira, errosion - Freeform, errosion is ly the creator’s bean, follow the series, for now at least, geno!ink is mr.frankcan’s bean, gotta go add that, holter, holter is another bb, i warned you, if you read the tags I’ll tell you this much, its late in the UnderMaze story, maybe that will stick though, my version at least, neither did geno!ink tho so XD, new boi, oh right forgot to add the other characters that show up in here, okay but what do i call the characters in bluecross story, origin, rues, rues baby, rues is precious, rusty - Freeform, rusty is angst, so is mira, so many beans, so yeah Goodluck with that, still otherwise this was a fun write, that is UnderMaze related, that part of them was predominant in their personality, the part you don’t understand, then again who doesnt here, they are a mix of xtale and swap, they are precious beans, trip and toner are my beans, vividtale, vividtale be bigger than intended whoops, vividtale is far from over but the vividtale origins stories are done, wait i should tag all the beans by their name (even if Blue!cross didn't get his name yet), welcome to chaos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:08:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23786833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jasmynation/pseuds/jasmynation
Summary: Someone doesn’t want the Undertale multiverse to die out, so with the help of creators that are still running with their imaginations, they create a new universe; Vividtale.  Geno!Ink, the first creation of this new world, Errosion, Trip and Toner are born and brought into this new section of the multiverses. This is how that went.Note: Other Character Origins may be added in overtime as well.Geno!Ink-Mr.FrankcanReaper!Error-LyTheCreatorUnless otherwise indicated other characters belong to JasmynAtion/meThis Series includes mentioning of many other AU's that do not originate from JasmynAtion, creators of these influences are; Jakei (Xtale/Undervese), Joku (Dreamtale), Comyet (Inktale), Loverofpiggies (Freshtale, Errortale, Aftertale), Renrink (Reapertale), Undertale Community (Underswap, Outertale), Rahafwabas (Killer!Sans), 7goodangel (Paperjam), Askcomboclub (Gradient), Evan Streblow (Dustale)
Series: Vividtale [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1710466
Comments: 5
Kudos: 24





	1. A Spark

Everything that ever exists, begins with a spark. 

Everything that begins, will end.

Everything that lives, will fight to survive so long as any sparks remain within its will. 

These are three truths I know as I watch our multiverse grow. 

It began from one idea in the mind of a young man long ago, which gave birth to a new world and I was born. I suppose all stories have a backstage, a save screen, files behind a program... these things that remain too complex for those that live within the confines of the stage. The writer and the readers can peek into the world, and the world can only exist and continue to exist, unaware that it is being watched. Even if it was aware, there is nothing it can do. I suppose, in this case, I am the cover. I am not the story, nor part of the story. Many overlook me. Some judge everything on me. I am just a tough exterior holding the pages together to make sure things remain in order. 

The keeper of a multiverse. A maze of worlds. Desperate not to let the contents I hold from reaching the end, in fear that when it does, it will all go dark. 

I know one day it will, no matter what I do, but I remain determined to do what I can to continue things. To keep going. Even if I must split myself for sanity's sake. If I must intervene. If I must build things I do not yet know how to build. If I must lose myself. I will keep doing things until I lose my spark. My determination. 

Our world runs off this. I run on this. I am not the world. I am not all-powerful. Not all-seeing. I am no more powerful than I can be. I can not stop the end from coming. One day it will come. I merely, do what I can. 

As if a wish is being granted, it seems I have been gifted the attention of a mind from beyond our world. Their ideas flowing through me, I can build more, something new, though not entirely from nothing. This will be messy. Risky even, for I must keep this a secret from the part of myself that roams the Labyrinth, but I feel it is worth the risk. The power of new things can always bring wonders. 

I will call this new wonder; Vividtale.

It begins with the guardians. 


	2. The Observer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Geno!Ink Origins; Only canon to Vividtale, this was not written by the original creator of Geno!Ink.

He awoke in the doodlesphere, blood dripping from his mouth and some smeared on his cheek. He laid there, lost in the sight above him. This skeleton knew nothing of how he got here. In fact, he knew very little at all about himself, or anything else.

He decided to think about what he did know, like tracing his steps. He knew words, language, though he didn’t know how. He knew he was Geno!Ink, but had no recollection of what that meant. Perhaps it was his name, but that didn’t sit right with him either. He knew this was his home, whatever this place was, but did not understand exactly what home meant. He knew he felt... alone.

So... alone.

Like there was nothing but him and this place in all existence.

Thinking about this made the emptiness dawn on him further, draining him of any energy he may have had. He could feel tears in his eye sockets. He didn’t understand how that worked.

He felt pain in his chest, or really in the space between his ribs. He could not move. He recalls a distant feeling of this place feeling full of ideas and other worlds on those papers that hung above him, but somehow understood that for the time being, there was nothing within them.

There was just him. Empty space. And papers hanging on thin stings attached to more nothingness from the endless ceiling.

Things remained this way for an undetermined amount of time.

It felt like he was drowning in sorrow.

A faint spark shot up his spin and his eye lit up with a moment of life. The pain faded for a moment. His mind raced with ideas about what this all was. He expected things to change suddenly, but nothing. Just a faint spark of hope. Something he couldn’t understand or see. The papers did not change. No, somehow he understood that whatever changed was outside of his sight.

More silence. It didn’t take long before that spark was hard to notice among the continued emptiness. It wasn’t enough. Whatever it was, wasn’t enough.

Then, when he was falling back into feeling just as he did before the spark, all the papers began to glow. They emitted yellow light, brightening the white nothingness with a glow of pure joy, at least that was how Geno!Ink saw it. This change seemed to fill him with life. He could feel his world grow. He could tell he was no longer alone. He smiled up at the papers, tears still falling down his cheek from his one good eye.

“Finally.” He spoke aloud with a sigh.

It was like this whole time he knew he was waiting for this. Things finally fell into place and the world was right again. He felt alive again.

He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to think this was an ‘again’ thing, but also knew he did not exist prior to waking up. It was all a twisting amount of thoughts and ideas that he couldn’t quite make sense of.

He sat up, picking up his giant paintbrush he felt he could call a friend, and used magic to help him float up to a paper. Instinct told him to reach out to a paper and touch it, so he did. He opened a window into another world, where he could see whatever he wished of that world, but could not seem to go there.

He continued this with many papers. As his understanding of his world and position became more solid, he learned his own curse. He was merely an observer, he thought, until one world let him in.

This, of course, filled him with excitement. He rushed through the portal, greeted everyone there with a smile and wave, but he scared most of them away with his lack of understanding in social normals and personal space, blood-smeared cheek, and glitchy eye.

As the day in that world was coming to an end he felt panic rise in his soul. An urge, or perhaps instinct rather, was screaming at him to return home, until his very bones ached with the need to return. So he did.

Now back in the odd void of papers, he felt calm. Lonely, but calm. Soon enough, he went back to observing the windows he could open, knowing it was a rare occurrence that he would be able to leave, and even if he did he could not leave for long.

  
It was frustrating. It was annoying. It was lonely.


	3. The Necromancer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reaper!Error/Errosion origin; only canon to Vividtale, this was not written by the original creator of Errosion!

The first spark that Geno!Ink had felt came from another void. In this void, there really was nothing, but it did not bother the one who awoke there. He sat up just fine, and began walking around as he thought about how he got here and who he was.

He too, knew things he couldn’t explain. He knew he was Reaper!Error, though did not comprehend the meaning of that, and he knew he had a name. Errosion. He wondered what the point in a name was if there was no one around to use it.

As time passed, he learned some use of the strings that seemed to form out of his eyes. He learned this the first time he cried, as his tears produced more of them. Why was he crying? Well wouldn’t you cry if you were stuck alone in an empty void, left confused by your very existence?

He grew more bored, tired, and lonely, wondering what the point to any of this was while he was playing around with his magic. Until he opened a portal to somewhere knew.

The sight made him smile for the first time.

Errosion's adventure began.

His excitement died off rather quickly though. No one seemed too pleased at the sight of him. They seemed afraid of him, for what reason he couldn’t understand, he’d done nothing wrong.

Then they would attack him on site.

He defended them at first in his mind. ‘They’re scared, I’m new and strange. Maybe they’re lost like I was’ he told himself. At each encounter, he grew tired of their arrogance. It was frustrating. He could not reason with others, and they would not listen to him.

Until he discovered another power; he could bring the dead to life. Suddenly, others cared about his existence, because they wanted something from him. He could bring their loved ones back. He could offer them something.

It disgusted him that it took something like this to gain attention that wasn’t hostile, but he desperately yearned for the company. At first, he tried to play it off like he was doing what they wanted, he believed this gained their trust and friendship. Then either he admitted the truth or they found out, their loved ones weren’t really back, he was controlling them.

Things only got worse.

He considered never leaving his void again. Other creatures sucked, he wanted nothing to do with them if all they wanted to do was hurt him. They only cared about themselves. Except, he wasn’t any different in the end. He couldn’t stand how boring and lonely his void was.

Errosion decided what he was doing was fine. It considered it like a job; find someone who wants their loved ones back, give them temporary happiness in exchange for the temporary company until they tried to get rid of him or discovered the truth about his powers and he’d run off to the next client.

It was what it was, he thought, better than doing nothing in an empty void.

Then he met him.

Suddenly, someone wanted him around. Which was just how Geno!Ink felt as well.

They were no longer alone. Things felt complete. There was nothing else they needed to know but this. 


	4. The Empath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NightmarePJ/Toner Origin; he is my boi so this is canon to his story. He really does ask people if they are is dad.

While Geno!Ink and Errosion were still in their voids, in another world, someone woke up in Error’s void.

He woke up, covered head to toe in goop, parts of him barely holding together in a solid form, this being was young and scared. It began to cry, to the horror of Error who had yet to notice the unwanted guest.

“What the fuck?!” Error attempted to wrap the creature in his strings, but it only made a bigger goopy mess of the poor tiny thing. “Stop crying! What are you? How did you even get here?” He got a hold of the creature's soul and to his horror, it looked like a black save point dripping with more goop that reminded him of Nightmare. “What the hell... would you shut up for five seconds I’m trying to think!!” Error kept yelling at the being.

The being quieted down, mostly from the shock of seeing its own soul outside of its body, bound by blue strings.

This Error had not yet met PJ, if he ever was going to meet them, or any fusion for that matter. He wasn’t exactly as trigger happy as one may expect though. He took a moment to consider things before making his decision to just destroy this thing before it causes any trouble. His attempt to do so seemed to only turn the goopy being into a puddle for a few moments and then return to its barely stable form.

“Shit... what is this?” Error tapped his foot and groaned, glaring down at the small being that seemed to just stare back up at him now, not understanding that the taller skeleton in front of it had just attempted to murder it.

“Are you my dad?” It spoke, not knowing how it knew what it did, but knowing it wanted what it asked about.

“No! Gross!! Wait, you speak?!” The longer this went on the more frustrated and confused the glitch became.

“I guess...” The small creature looked down at the goopy puddle that would normally be feet if he could sustain his form.

“Argh what am I supposed to do with-just go the fuck back where you came from will ya!” Error growled, clearly not in the mood to deal with any more of the company.

“I don’t know-“ A portal interrupted the being, and it was drawn to it. Error was grateful for the sour sight to be gone, noting that if he saw it again he might be in trouble since he couldn’t seem to do a thing to it.

In a dark place, at the door of a big castle that’s energy scared him. He began crying again, the door opening almost dramatically by a taller skeleton who held a knife at the ready before it paused at the site.

“Nightmare! Why didn’t you tell us?!” Dust yelled back into the castle, gaining himself a whack at the back of his head from Nightmare himself.

“Why are you yelling idiot? I’m right here. Didn’t tell you what?” He peered out the door to meet the eyes of the tiny creature that seemed to look up at him with a hopeful gaze.

“Are you my dad?”

“... No?” Nightmare stood in the doorway, feeling the judging gaze of Dust who did not believe his answer and was clearly holding in laughter. “Go home kid. Before you regret being here.” He growled.

“I... don’t have a home yet...” The being looked down with a soft sigh, all hope draining from him.

Nightmare took a moment to scan the kid's energy, and to his surprise found some of his own energy mixed in this kid. It couldn’t be, he thought, I never...

“Boss, we gonna just stand here or you gonna take your bastard kid in?” Dust teased and rushed away before Nightmare could hit him.

Lucky for him, his boss was busy in thought.

“What are you?” Nightmare finally asked.

“I’m Toner, I think. Yeah. That’s my name. Toner.” Toner spoke clearly and softly, with a kind of tone that Nightmare felt did not belong to your average kid. Something was different about this kid. Maybe he could use this.

He took Toner in, to the little one’s gratitude- at least for a short time. Ignoring the teasing of his companions, Nightmare was determined to figure out how this kid came to be and how he worked. As he did, he taught the child how some of his magic worked. To the gang's surprise, the child did not seem all that deterred by the idea that his powers came from negative emotions. They were impressed with the kid until Toner realized what Nightmare and his gang would do for power and expressed his concern.

“You hurt people?” Toner tilted his head, his voice coated in concern.

“People deserve it.” Nightmare declared without hesitation.

“But it hurts you too.”

“What? No, I get power from their pain. You will learn in time.”

“It hurts when others hurt. I get more power but it hurts, I understand that. I don’t want to hurt. Why do you want to hurt?”

“I don’t want to-what? Where is this coming from?”

“Don’t you feel there pain? Like me? You said were the same like that. I feel their hurt and it hurts. I don’t want to hurt.”

“You’ll get used to it kid, life’s just like that. What did you expect when I said your powers come from negative emotions?”

“All emotions are important. I don’t wanna hurt all the time but being happy all the time probably isn’t good either...” Toner’s haze drifted out the window of Nightmares office as the older skeleton grew frustrated with the child. “I don’t want to hurt others just so I can hurt... what do I need power for anyway?” He tilted his head and looked back at Nightmare.

For a moment, the keeper of negative emotions paused, just staring awestruck at the child sitting across from him.

Then Toner vanished.

Toner found himself in a small village, sitting under a tree.

“Dad?” He called out softly, tears developing in his eyes.

No one responded.

Toner made his way down the small hill, into the village. None of the other monsters seemed to pay any attention to him, but they were giving Toner a headache. There were so many people, so many emotions, too many. He hurried back to the tree. He curled up under it, hugging his knees close to his chest.

He was stuck alone for a long time then, even as he grew up quickly, he preferred to stay away from others as much as he could. No one seemed to want to be near him anyway when they noticed him. He didn’t care. He didn’t want to care, anyway.


	5. The Curious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trip/Fresh!Dream Origin; this is also my boi so also canon to his character. He isn’t too complicated of a boi though-just curious bean with parasites that can make people happy or kill them :)

Trip was the last of the first four to wake up. He awoke in a blank world. He watched it build around him, and his excitement grew. He knew as well as the others his title; Fresh!Dream. He did not know what that meant. Unlike the others, he did care to know. He had a curiosity that couldn’t be satisfied by just ‘that’s how it is’.

He believed in answers.

He was patient though, happy to wait for the opportunity to find the answers.

Trip was the fastest to adapt, being that he was well-liked and cared for by the monsters that soon existed in his world. Even those that became sad, he found ways to offer them happiness at a small price. It wasn’t an intended price, if he could he would give it without one. He needed the energy to make energy though and so did the small little creatures who he1 could create that matched his soul.

He considered these little creatures gifts to friends he was helping. The creatures would feed on the happiness of someone, but then multiply that happiness once they had the energy too. They could not be removed, he discovered, without immediately killing the host.

“Oh.” He said, standing by the pile of dust that was once someone he called a friend. “Well, that wasn’t very nice.” Trip told the tiny creature in his hands. It didn’t speak but he understood it. “Hm. Can’t be helped then.”

He walked away like it was nothing. He did make sure to tell others that the creatures could not be removed, but he remained unphased by death.

Trip was a hero in his own eyes, nothing he did was ever wrong. He made mistakes sure, but that was never his fault in his eyes. Death was simple to him, there was nothing to question about it. Something dies because it was its time. The only thing one can do is potentially learn from it.

One day he learned to teleport through the alternate universes. He decided he would help as many beings as he could.

Then he met Toner. Someone like him.

Fascinating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this was a trip.
> 
> Sorrynotsorry.
> 
> I felt the weird need to write this suddenly and wrote it all in one stream of consciousness I’m so tired now but glad this has been written out. I hope Ly and MrFrankcan are okay that Geno!Ink and Errosion are part of this series thing I’m doing. And I hope I can do them any sort of justice.


	6. The Writer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killer!Gradient is a new baby made by yours truly. Mira is his name and he is a bean that oddly adds a lot more lore than intended to Vividtale. I guess that's just a theme for this series though, I never expect the characters to grow as fast as they do.

The next to be born into Vividtale was the being known as Killer!Gradient. It awoke in a dark void, much like Toner did, but this was not in Error's void. It was somewhere else. Somewhere that did not make sense to the young new being. 

Through it's wondering, it learned to summon a tablet and stylus. The stylos had a cap on the back that could be taken off to reveal a small knife. For self-defense, the being assumes, for when it escapes. 

Alone with only the tablet for a while, it would write notes on itself and about the darkness that surrounded it. Or of the voices that it heard. 

"Make another"

"Draw them like this"

"I can't be alone"

"How is he so cute"

"He'll be mine"

"There isn't enough"

Sometimes the odd voices seemed to speak right to him. 

"Your name is Mira|Target|Design"

Mira listened. There wasn't much else to do. This allowed him to learn much more than the others though. By that, I mean he knew about the others. 

"You hear the others, don't you?" The same voice that gave him his name spoke. "Just as you somehow hear me?"

"Seems like it. Who are they?"

"I did not think you would be the one with this ability... they are others who I have made with the creators, like you."

"They are like me?"

"In many ways, yes."

"How can I meet them?"

"There are many things you must discover on your own... but I am afraid of what this means for you, little one."

"You made me," Mira began, writing the details of the conversation, and all he learns down in his tablet, "can't you control things that happen to me?" 

"No. No really. Not outside of my... realm."

"Oh."

"There is one thing I must ask of you, my dear." Mira simply waited for the request patiently. "You mustn't, under any circumstance, tell any of the others about each other. They must learn things for themselves. Not a thing about them should you share with another. Can you do that?"

"I suppose. Can I still try and meet them all if I find a way out of here?"

"Do as you wish otherwise."

There is a moment of silence, something rare to Mira, and then a final question.

"Why did you make us all so lonely?"

"...It was not an intention to do so... Merely something you all seem to inherit."

Mira could tell, somehow, that the voice had left after stating that. Clearly, it did not want to discuss it anymore than what it had. Mira noted this down in his tablet. 

In time, Mira discovered his ability to open portals and wandered off into the multiverse that seemed built for him, and the others too of course. He took some time to adjust to traveling like this, and learning about some of the worlds that he could reach. When he felt ready, he knew exactly who he wanted to meet first; Toner. As he knew that half of him, was brothers with half of Toner. 

Brothers. Family. That closeness. He craved it. They all craved some form of company. Just as the voice who helped create them must.

"Hi." Mira spoke softly, popping his head out of a portal by Toner, making the goopy mess jump slightly. "I'm M-Mira." A rush of nerves filled him once his eyes met Toner's, but he knew this would leave in time. They would be like brothers someday, he knew it. 


	7. The Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BlueCross does have a name, Rues, but he does not get his name in his origin much like Geno!Ink. BlueCross is another baby of mine, protect him guys, he's precious.

"Shoot-" A voice spoke through the darkness. 

This new being could not see, at least not at the moment, something seemed to be covering his eyes. His first guess was that they were hands, but they felt too mechanical, like robot arms with oven mitts. Another pair seemed to come from the ground and hold his legs down as he sat on a cold floor, leaning back against a wall. 

"Wha-"

"Shhhh!" The voice seemed to be panicking, their voice hitching up and falling down at different parts like a glitch. "It wasn't supposed to be you here. Just hold on a second-" 

They fell back as the wall they leaned on seemed to vanish, but to their surprise, the ground was even colder now. Not that a skeleton would mind. He opened his eyes immediately as he noticed nothing was stopping him anymore. 

"Weird." He noted but was quickly distracted by the sky-or really just tall cave ceiling. It was so high. 

He sat up, pressing his hands into the snow he now found himself in and looked around at the wilderness he'd awoken in. BlueCross, this was who he was, he didn't know how he knew though. 

"Bluecross!" A small voice called out to him, his head turning rapidly to see the origin of the voice was a small armless monster. "We've been waiting for you! This world really isn't the same without you."

"Oh? Uh, sorry I made you wait." Bluecross pulled himself up, whipping snow off himself. 

"It's fine, don't worry! You came just in time. That weird X-Gaster guy was really a pain. He kept going on about weird stuff and asking where he was... but once you arrived, he and the other two who kept trying to stir up trouble disappeared!"

"I'm sure they meant well- wait, disappeared?" He tilted his head as he followed the child that started to walk away, assuming he is meant to follow.

"Yeah! They were bad guys though Bluecross, don't worry, your here and that's better!"

"Okay, if you're sure. I hope they went somewhere that they can be at peace." 

"Hm~ Oh course a good monster like you would say that." The kid chuckled. "I'll bring you to the city, you've got a home there and everything. You can settle right in like a good hero should!"

"Hero?"

"Yeah! You arriving got the bad guys kicked away, you're our hero! And I just got this feeling yanno? That you're super cool!"

"I certainly feel cool." He straightens his posture, his walk becoming more confident, and his grin widening.

"Look! You even have a sword, only cool heroes have swords!" 

"You're right, I must be quite strong! I feel strong. I feel awesome! Awesome and cool!" 

"Yeah!" He cheered with the child as they headed into town. He was greeted by the grateful citizens and told of there previous weird state of affairs. They knew he was missing because they all knew /someone/ was missing. The version of X Gaster that they had to deal with seemed to have lacked the powers they all knew he had, but retained some of his memories, just as all the citizens did. 

Bluecross was taken to Muffet's. It a nice cafe with many sweets, but also a good variety of sandwiches and drinks. Bluecross really felt that he was in good company at the table with some of the higher-ranked citizens and the Queen.

"It's weird... Like I have memories of so many versions of myself... I feel violated!! How dare someone play with my life like that!" This universe's Undyne complained, adjusting her glasses after her statement. "Then there's another me... I feel like that me didn't live any of those lives at all. She's completely different... But still, well, Undyne. And then there's me..."

"We all just suddenly existed a few weeks ago. We barely have any of our barrings in place." This universe's Toriel spoke. "It's all very confusing, but we have stuck through it together. We have survived this mess and those who wanted to cause us trouble. I have hope in our future here, especially now with you here."

"I'll do all I can to help and protect our home, My Lady!" Bluecross declared, blue X's appearing in his eye sockets as he cheers, and it fills the room with energy. 

He fills them all with his determination.

Still, it felt like something or someone was missing, as he arrived home alone to his two-bedroom house. An empty feeling ached in the back of his mind, that he assured himself was nothing to worry about. He sat on his couch and stared at the television screen.

"Huh, still feels... kind of chilly here. Maybe I should turn the heat up." He spoke allowed, looked around, and sighed. Bluecross shrugged. Why would a skeleton need to be warm anyway? He laughed to himself and picked up a book that was on a little table by his couch. It was a Quantime Physics book. He opened it, and inside was a joke book. He opened that, and it was another Quantime Physics book. He let out a half-hearted chuckle.


	8. The Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for my boi Rusty to have his angsty origin told. Like Rues, he doesn't get his name right away, but for other reasons. Rues just didn't get that bit of info from their creator, while Rusty get his name later cause he doesn't like the one the creator gave him. Enjoy~!

He awoke beside another, inches from reach, he knew their name, he saw right through them. 

"Shoot-" He shot his head to see that it was a hologram, glitching out, their form was difficult to make out as his own vision seemed to falter. 

"Wha-" The soft voice of the skeleton beside him seemed to focus his vision slightly. The owner of the voice was BlueCross, being held down by odd mechanical arms that reached out of the wall. 

"Shhhh!" The glitching hologram seemed to be panicking, their voice hitching up and falling down at different parts. "It wasn't supposed to be you here. Just hold on a second-"

BlueCross glitched out of existence, at least so it seemed, and now he felt alone. 

"I'm sorry, it wasn't supposed to be this messy I just... I had no idea it would work... but you are... Argh, why can't I get him here, it was supposed to be Mira, not Rues."

"Rues?" He spoke up, voice cracking and head aching, the hooded skeleton brought a hand to his chest.

"I know... You're in pain. There was a mistake, I didn't calculate this... If I could get Mira here and at least copy some part of that code that lets him do what he does, it should stabilize you but I can't find him for some reason! Something is interfering with my abilities... like..."

"S-static." His chest, something was fighting in his rib cage, cause a painful static sensation through his bones. 

"Yeah... Tabby?" He couldn't see, all he could see was a deep red, the other's voice just barely outspoken whispers in his ears. "LabbyDust? Tabby? Calm down, I'm going to help you, I just need you to-Ack!" 

A surge of magic shot out his hand at the glitchy companion. 

_They did this._

_They made you like this._

_Causing you pain._

_Mistake?_

_Called you a mistake._

_No good._

_Kill them._

_Run._

_Rip them apart._

_I'm tired._

_Where am I?_

"Get away!" He shouted amongst the chaos in his mind and bones. He fell back into a big splash. 

_Water?_

_Somewhere new?_

_So much new!_

_Burn it._

_Smells like fish._

_There's a kid around._

_I sense monster._

_Can't sleep with monsters nearby._

"Shut up!" He pressed his hands against his head, trying to hold himself together as he fell into a new place. 

"Hey, mister are you okay-AGH!" Before he could think he felt his own magic form bones from the ground and dusting the little creature that disturbed him. 

_Nice._

_What did I do?_

_Hmm~_

_Keep it in a jar!_

_Listen to the code, there's so much more to kill._

"No... No no no no..." He pulled his hands from his head, slowly glancing back where the other's voice had come from. His sight barely cleared enough to see the results. "I didn't..."

_Not enough._

_Not what I need._

_Where is it?_

"I don't want to..." He crawled over to the pile of dust, beads of magic forming at the edge of his sockets. One eyelight blood red. One eyelight a soft purple.

_But I did._

_It felt good._

_Relieving._

_Like itching a scratch._

_Like getting an answer._

"I... I'm sorry." He scooped up some of the dust. "I'm sorry."

_Weird._

_I am._

_Can I eat this?_

_That'd be weird._

_Humans eat dead animals._

_Did I do this?_

_Is there any other way to calm down?_

_I need to find it._

_I know what to do._

_Too much._

_Scattered._

_Can't link the dots when you won't use the pen._

_Try again._

His hands glowed and he seemed to absorb something. It stung in his marrow. Something in the dust seemed to disappear. He stood up, looking around for something, anything...

"What? What do I need?"

_Should have asked before leaving._

_Mira?_

_Tabby?_

_LabbyDust?_

_I don't like any of those names._

_Is one mine?_

_No no, those are stupid names._

His vision went dark. His body felt stiff. He couldn't speak. He couldn't feel. Everything just stood. Until red. He could see Red. He guessed that maybe he was drowning in a pool of red somehow. 

He awoke in a destroyed dinner, filled with dust and bones, standing in the center.

_Quiet._

_Finally._

_Nothing is so nice._

_That's where we belong._

_In nothingness._

_Monsters, humans, they are all so noisy._

"No!" He covered his mouth with a dusty hand, coughing and moving it from his face immediately, glaring at his hands with wide sockets and flashing eyelights. "No... no..." 

_That's not right still._

_Not right at all._

_Still scattered._

_Need the pen._

_Where is it?_

_Connect the dots._

_Take it back._

_This will be messy._

_What time is it?_

_Time is messy._

He could feel himself leave again. He cried out, pleading with whatever was doing this to him.

_It's just you._

_You mean me._

_You mean I._

_There is only one soul here._

_A messed up one._

_A fun little experiment gone wrong._

_Mistake._

"I don't... please... I don't want to hurt... anyone..."

_Too late._

_When we have the pen._

_The dots need to connect._

_Could use glue?_

_Fix the pieces back up._

_No that won't be right._

_Find the pen._

_Then no one gets hurt._

"I don't know what you're talking about!" He screamed at the voices in his mind.

_A wonder, they can't get me._

_Guess we're different than the others._

_Can't save us._

_Can't sense us._

_I was the one interfering with their magic._

_They made us too close to them._

_That makes us strong._

_So strong._

_We can find the key all on our own!_

_The pen you mean._

_Right right._

"STOP!!" He cried again, feeling himself lose consciousness again. "No... Rues..." That other skeleton he saw. Had they hurt them? They didn't seem to know anything about any of this mess. Innocently out of the loop. Oh, what he'd give for that right now. What he'd give to hear that voice just say hello to him. To tell him it's okay. It was a comforting voice, compared to all the other voices they've heard so far.

He felt himself drowning again. 

_What can I do to stop this?_


	9. The Artist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TIME TO MEET ANOTHER BEAN! I recommend you have read “The Writer’s Journey (Vividtale)” before reading Holter’s Origin for a long list of reasons... Anyway, Holter is a bean and he exists now so here you go!

Many years have passed in the worlds of Vividtale. All those you knew have grown up quite a bit. Mira's passing has left their creator a bit absent from interfering with there world until now. 

Back in Mira's pocket void, a new, final being created by the one the writer spoke to so much. At least, someone intended to be the final being they make.

"Ooo!" The young skeleton was lying on the void floor gazing up at nothingness and somehow in awe, easily impressed perhaps?

This new being knew his names as well like the others. Horror!Palette, or Holter. Holt for short, he thought, yeah that sounds cool! The boy sat up and looked around until his gaze fell onto a faded out figure of another skeleton who was staring at him in disbelief.

"Oh! Hi! I exist now!"

"I..." the faded floating ghostly form a grey skeleton with red rimmed glasses seemed to be crying.

"Oh, no, don't do that..." Holter scoot over towards the being who continued to just float there. "Um, that doesn't look fun... is there... something-?"

"I died... I should be... why am I..."

"I'm sorry Mira." The voice spoke, both skeletons could hear them here. "As I told you... time is odd where I am... if I didn't pull your soul back here when I did, I would not have been able to do anything."

"Toner? Erros?" Mira's voice sounded so broken and painful, it made Holter frown.

"I'm afraid your plan did not turn out well thanks to my intervention... rest assured, they are both fine. Everyone is, in fact. I feel you deserve to know that."

"Oh..." Mira sighs. "And him." The writer gestures to the new being, who upon being acknowledged beams up at him.

"I never did get to making your counter, the artist... so when I could not form you a new body I formed him. It appears what is left of your code and soul is bonded to him or something of his... when it comes to you and Rusty, I am afraid your code is quite messier and challenging to figure out even for me... I do not know how it grew beyond me."

"Right..."

"Are you hungry? I think hunger makes people sad..." Holter notes before sticking a hand in his scarf and pulling out some crayons. He stares at one for a moment before biting into it.

"Hey! Don't eat that!"

"But it tastes good." Holter beams up at Mira.

"What? How?" Mira glares down at Holter with concern.

"I dunno." The artist shrugs.

"Oh gees..."

"Are you an imaginary friend Mira?"

"..." The writer looked deep in thought, for a moment uncomfortable and then sighed. There was a lot for him to consider here when it came to what he told this being he was now stuck to. "Y-yeah... that's all... and call me... uh... something else... I don't want you using that name, okay?"

"Oh, okay. Um... how about Ria? That's a cool name! And you look pretty cool."

"Thanks." Mira looks always from the crayon eating artist. "And uh... try not to tell anyone about me... okay?"

"Why? You don't wanna know people? Won't they just see you?"

"Just trust me okay." Mira smiles weakly down as the smaller skeleton.

"Okay then! If you say so!" He shoves one more crayon in his mouth and beams. "Oh! Others? There are others to meet! I want to meet others!"

"Sure... just uh... you just need to figure out how to open a portal. Try using that axe you've got."

"I have a what?"

“Actually... Holter is it?”

“Yep, I think that’s my name. Call me Holt if ya want. Sound cool doesn’t it?”

“Can you promise me something?” The writer asked the artist who tilted his head at the question. “It would make me feel a lot better for now if you could...”

“Oh okay, well what is it? And what’s a promise?”

“It’s an agreement between two people. Something you do... for friends. And I’m your imaginary friend right?”

“Yeah!”

“Then promise me you’ll listen to me, especially when I tell you things about people, okay?”

“Hmm... I want to.... but I have a feeling I’m gonna forget this... I don’t remember how I got here after all.”

“... I can remind you, I’ll be here for you okay? We’ll look after each other. There are some people out there that... I know you gotta stay away from... or I have to stay away from at least.”

“Okay Ria! Wow! Friends sound so cool!” Holter reaches out to poke the ghost but his hand goes right through him and he frowns.

“What are you doing?”

“I don’t know, just wanted to touch you but I can’t. That’s stinky.” Holter huffs but scoots closer to the ghost and keeps trying to poke his friend.

“Holter. Seriously. If it doesn’t work the first time it’s not gonna work the fifteenth time.” The writer brought a hand to his forehead as he sighed. He wasn’t easily annoyed, but he could tell this kid was going to be a handful. “If it’s real things you’re looking for, let me try something.” Mira Simmons his tablet and stylus surprised that he could still do this, he started typing in code to drop a stuffie that looked like a dog.

“Oooh?” Holter’s face light up at the new thing that grabbed his undivided attention. He pulled it into his arms and hugged it. “I love it. Can I keep it?”

“Sure, yeah...” The writer seemed to look around as if waiting for something. “They stopped talking again... Holter, do you hear anything other than me here?”

“Hm? Just some other imaginary friends. I think one of them is under a lot of stress... something about too many kids. I think he will be okay though, I have a feeling he has that other voice. Oh! I have to give them names!”

“Holter, are you telling me you...” Mira stops himself, how to phrase the situation at had was his biggest challenge yet. Then he heard the voices of all the others return.

“Oh, they all went quiet again like when I woke up.”

“And they returned to me...”

“Returned?” Holter glances up at the other weird look on his face. “Oooh I’m gonna name the stressed one Cin.”

“Like... Cinnabar?” That nickname was too familiar.

“Hm? Maybe I don’t know their real names.”

“You can’t see their code?”

“What’s code? I just feel the feelings kinda. He’s really sad too I think. That’s stinky...”

“Yeah...”

“I want another one of these for Cin! And Ros! Oh! And Near and P need one too! Everyone deserves a cuddle friend!”

For each ‘friend’ Holter named a similar stuffie appeared out of the air around them and flopped to the ground, each vaguely resembling dog stuffie versions of very familiar characters Mira knew of by different names. Ceno/Cinnabar. Errosion. Toner. Trip. Rues... Rusty.

“Do you want this one?” Holter offered up the stuffie pup that resembled Mira, a bright smile on his face that made it hard to believe he had any relation to Horror.

“Sure.” Somehow, Holter did not seem phased by his own creation ability. Or anything. He would only get more excited about new things. It was odd to observe this. Odd that they were potentially sharing power with very opposite abilities...

Odd to be dead one moment and here the next.

While Holter was just born. Bright eyed and ready for the world. Once he got a better hang of his abilities and Mira taught him a thing or two about the worlds outside of this little void, he was able to pull out a rather large axe from beneath his scarf. Clearly, Holter’s abilities run through his imagination. If it works in his mind, it works for him.

The axe allows him to slice open a portal, and out of the pocket void the young being goes. His ghost friend following close behind, full of worries and lots of emotional turmoil that the artist couldn’t even begin to imagine even if he could feel what the other felt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH BOI LOOK WHO IS KINDA BACK?! Is this chapter longer than the others? Maybe. There is a lot to it and I could have added even more just cause it is also Mira and Holter meeting and the final Vividtale Origin I plan on doing. There are other characters, a good handful at least, but these Origin stories are just for the main characters who relate to the central plot of Vividtale. 
> 
> Up Next for Vividtale: Trip and Toner focus! 
> 
> Up Next in general for my work: Finishing Undermaze Comic Ch3 😭


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